American Eagle Jumpsuit (1974)

[Leroy]

To answer a few questions I saw coming by...
Both suits were called "American Eagle". Some of the 1974 suits were second versions of earlier suits only done in embroidery instead of stones and nails. The 1974 "American Eagle" was one of the first. It was based on the 1973 "American Eagle" . It happened before with 1971 "Snowflake" that was re-done in 1973, only with a slightly different pattern. Through the years designer Gene Doucette became more experienced in working out designs. When he explained it to me he told me that with the 1973 "Flame" (better known as "Red Flower") this design came closest to how he could portrait flames.
When he started to work with emboidery his range widened... So that is why a lot of suits from 1974 on were based on earlier versions......

[elvispresleytheking]

That makes sense, Leroy, thanks!

[Brad Stalnaker]

Going down memory lane from my vacation to Memphis last October (2008):

[beaustewart44]

This was a great jumpsuit and in all the pics Elvis looks to be haveing a great time


TCB

[merry77]

the dimensions of this buckle are:
14.5cm by 22.2cm (sorry in Europe we are using the metric system).
This is calculated by using a similar brass coin buckle exactly like the one that was used and hence calculating the scale of the photo I took of the belt on display.

The size of the buckles did change and was also dependant on the size of the brass buckles used.

I prefer the Aloha belt as well. Are these belts the same dimension? The aloha belt looks a bit smaller than the other. Anyone know the true dimensions of these belts and did these dimensions change over the years? Maybe the actual craftsman making the belts changed? I have seen from receiepts that some were purchased through IC Cosumte, while I have also heard that Mike McGreggor had made them. Anyone know the real scoop?

[CLAY]

This was a good looking suit for Elvis in 74,he looked great wearing it

[Always]

Great pictures

[peter]

Is that possible to get more informations about "third" American Eagle suit that was never "finished"?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z8Y9yRK_WAc

It was "unfinished" or work never began?

[Tony Trout]

Is that possible to get more informations about "third" American Eagle suit that was never "finished"?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z8Y9yRK_WAc

It was "unfinished" or work never began?

If you'll watch the video in that link, you'll hear him say that work never began on the "third version" of the suit (most entirely likely because Elvis passed away before it could be worked on).

[alex110596]

10 out of 10! Eagle is one of my favourite of all his suits

[drumzz70]

Just to add something to the embroidered suits and why Elvis used the studded aloha belt with this suit and studded 73 suit belts. The answer is the matching embroid belts were not finished yet for those suits so he used the studded 73 belts until they were ready. He got the suits before the belts and started wearing them. The proof of this is if you look at dates of photos when he first wore them with the studded belts, it was before the matching embriod belts were worn, any time after the matching belts showed up, the matching belts where worn, same for the blue rainbow ( and target belt ), light blue phoneix and (light blue swirl two piece suit ) belt and so on. The Inca suit belt change was just a change of the big front buckle , and as in some pics you might see the first Inca belt buckle had an indian head that fell off so he had no choice. As for the alpine and gypsy suits that was also because the suits were made before the matching belts showed up, so he wore two piece suit belts..

[hounddog]

a couple of this suit

[Tommy]

[Tommy]

[Tommy]

[Tommy]

[Tommy]

[Tommy]

[Tommy]

[Tommy]